My new spu classic-E came today

[oceanobsession]

With my pioneers pl71 arm at its highest point ive just about got the cartridge
level to the record, set up the tracking weight at 4g, not sure what the anti
skate should be set at, but ive played about ten albums now and it seems to
be coming on song, ive had doubts about this purchase since i ordered it, but
its very musical loads of body sweet/clean at the top and beats the dl103,
maybe it will still get better.

[Gromit]

Nice one Phil - one of the world's truly great cartridges IME and a really great match for the Pioneer's arm. :)

My SPU took quite some time to really get going - reckon at least 50 hours before its top end was really cleaned up - but then....oh yes. :)

[oceanobsession]

Nice one Phil - one of the world's truly great cartridges IME and a really great match for the Pioneer's arm. :)

My SPU took quite some time to really get going - reckon at least 50 hours before its top end was really cleaned up - but then....oh yes. :)

Gromit i was looking for something with body for the classical pieces to reproduce the melody if that makes sense, but it also sounds great with other
stuff aswell, camel/tears for fears/king crimson/paul simon etc, i bought a
copy of Antonin Dvorak, tempo di valse, and it sounds wonderfull on the spu.
the ortofon jubilee would have been my next choice, any ideas on the antiskate, cheers phil.

[Marco]

Hi Phil,

Glad it worked out! They're rather fun, aren't they? :eyebrows:

I can't understand why some people think SPUs sound 'fruity' or euphonically coloured, as that's not what I'm getting here at all with my Classic GM(E), and it doesn't appear to be what you're getting with yours either...

Simon's a great guy to deal with, isn't he? Anyway, matey, enjoy. We could do with seeing some pics of the beast in situ! :cool:

Marco.

P.S I set the anti-skate on my Ortofon arm to 0.5g less than the VTF, therefore 3.5, which for me seems to sound best.

[Magna Audio]

Nice to see another SPU in the fold.

[oceanobsession]

Some pics

[DSJR]

Hi Phil,

I can't understand why some people think SPUs sound 'fruity' or euphonically coloured, as that's not what I'm getting here at all with my Classic GM(E), and it doesn't appear to be what you're getting with yours either...



Tried a V15 III HE or SAS lately? :scratch:

[oceanobsession]

Just a quick update, ive had this spu on ebay for a week thinking its not for
me, no takers with 24hours to run, so ive put it back into position on my pl71
and it sounds wonderful, so ive now removed it before the end of the auction,
im still a little confused as to weather its for me or not, top end's clean and
great on vocal loads of body, but maybe lacking in the lower bass slightly its
very musical, maybe its still not run in yet, if it would have sold i was going to buy the benz micro wood £575 with trade in, i shall Persevere with it for a little longer.

[Marco]

Tried a V15 III HE or SAS lately? :scratch:

Lol - why would listening to a grossly inferior MM cartridge (fitted simply with a 'fancy' stylus) tell me anything that I don't already know? ;)

Marco.

[Marco]

Hi Phil,


Just a quick update, ive had this spu on ebay for a week thinking its not for me, no takers with 24hours to run, so ive put it back into position on my pl71and it sounds wonderful, so ive now removed it before the end of the auction,

im still a little confused as to weather its for me or not, top end's clean and
great on vocal loads of body, but maybe lacking in the lower bass slightly its
very musical, maybe its still not run in yet, if it would have sold i was going to buy the benz micro wood £575 with trade in, i shall Persevere with it for a little longer.

Mmm... Not sure what's going on here, particularly in terms of why the SPU is now sounding "wonderful" on your PL71, when before it wasn't; indeed so much so that it made you put the cartridge on eBay?

How can it be wonderful one minute, and not the next? :scratch:

I've got a feeling that there is a synergy issue between the SPU and the rest of your system, specifically with the phono stage and/or the preamp you're using, or a possible set-up issue, as an optimally performing SPU(E) should most certainly NOT be in any way bass light. I doubt that it's the arm on the PL-71, as although it's not absolutely ideal for an SPU, it's certainly known to produce good results with one.

What phono stage and preamp are you using - and moreover, what loading value is being applied to the SPU? Also, I presume that you've optimised VTA and therefore have got the arm bang-on level with the record surface? SPUs are notoriously fussy, in that respect.

Before you (possibly) make a big mistake selling what is (in the right set-up) a superb cartridge, would you like me to pop down with my T/T, fitted with the same cartridge, together with my A23 SUT/Croft preamp, and see if we can get to the bottom of the matter? :cool:

Marco.

[oceanobsession]

Hi Phil,



Mmm... Not sure what's going on here, particularly in terms of why it's now sounding "wonderful" on your PL71, when before it wasn't; indeed so much so that it made you put the cartridge on eBay?

How can your SPU be wonderful one minute, and not the next? :scratch:

I've got a feeling that there is a synergy issue between the SPU and the rest of your system, specifically with the phono stage and/or the preamp you're using, or a possible set-up issue, as an optimally performing SPU(E) should most certainly NOT be in any way bass light. I doubt it's the arm on the PL-71, as although it's not absolutely ideal for an SPU, it's known to produce good results with one.

What phono stage and preamp are you using - and moreover, what loading value is being applied to the SPU?

Before you (possibly) make a big mistake selling what is, in the right set-up, a superb cartridge, would you like me to pop down with my T/T (fitted with the same cartridge) and SUT/Croft preamp, and see if we can get to the bottom of the matter? :cool:

Marco.

Marco this is a very kind offer, but i could not put you to all that trouble, when i say bass light i mean slightly compared to the other cartridges ive tried, i suppose you dont get everything you wont with these things, im finding it hard to get the right tracking weight i have a digital readout thingy,
but it seems to measure less weight than the dial on the end of my turntable,its sounding very good at the moment, ive been playing some free
and paul simon, joes garage frank zappa, i love the body that the spu produces which allows you to follow the bass guitar lines . cheers phil.

[Marco]

No worries, mate - it's a genuine offer, if you need it (Birmingham ain't that far from here), as I'd hate you to punt one of the most musical sounding cartridges made today, simply because of something silly that may be easily fixed!

What stylus scales are you using? If they're half decent, then they should be more accurate than the gauge on your tonearm.

If you want to give me a bell and have a chat, you know my number, or if you've lost it, PM me and I'll give it to you :cool:

Marco.

[oceanobsession]

No worries, mate - it's a genuine offer, if you need it (Birmingham ain't that far from here), as I'd hate you to punt one of the most musical sounding cartridges made today, simply because of something silly that may be easily fixed!

What stylus scales are you using? If they're half decent, then they should be more accurate than the gauge on your tonearm.

If you want to give me a bell and have a chat, you know my number, or if you've lost it, PM me and I'll give it to you :cool:

Marco.

Marco could you let me have your phone no again please, send me a pm if you
could cheers phil.

[Marco]

PM sent :)

Marco.

[oceanobsession]

Another update, oh boy has this thing come on song, now i know for sure it
was still running in, been playing ten new songs leanard cohen and shelby lynne just a little lovin, this has to be the best ive ever heard my system sound, im still not sure of tracking weight, ive got an ortofon manual gauge
but it only goes up to 3g but its the same settings as the counterweight so im
inclined to believe it,bass is deep with a loverly bounce to it treble clean and
vocal amazing, im glad i never sold it now, cheers all phil.

[Lee Henley]

How does it compare to the AT cart that i heard when i came round last, always thought that sounded bloody amazing!

Lee

[oceanobsession]

How does it compare to the AT cart that i heard when i came round last, always thought that sounded bloody amazing!

Lee

Hi lee, i buggered that one up somehow, lost a channel, the spu sounds great, i wouldnt imagine it picks up as much information from the grove, but its a full big open airy sounding cartridge great on vocal i can even listen to kate bush, i think its a keeper im going to give it a month, one cartridge to play everything maybe asking to much.
cheers phil.

[Marco]

Hi Phil,


Another update, oh boy has this thing come on song, now i know for sure it was still running in, been playing ten new songs leanard cohen and shelby lynne just a little lovin, this has to be the best ive ever heard my system sound, im still not sure of tracking weight, ive got an ortofon manual gauge but it only goes up to 3g but its the same settings as the counterweight so im inclined to believe it,bass is deep with a loverly bounce to it treble clean and vocal amazing, im glad i never sold it now

Brilliant news, mate! It's amazing what a little persevering does :)

Despite what the uninitiated think, modern SPUs are superb music-makers, and also very accurate (in terms of 'accurate' to how real voices and instruments are supposed to sound, rather than conforming to the 'accepted norm' on some objectivist's 'manual of correct sound reproduction') ;)

Remember what we discussed on the phone, and enjoy! :cool:

Marco.

[The Black Adder]

Lol - why would listening to a grossly inferior MM cartridge (fitted simply with a 'fancy' stylus) tell me anything that I don't already know? ;)

Marco.

Ahem! Hmm... grossly inferior? Well, I love mine!

But an SPU's is in my book of 'don't do it - it's only a bloody cartridge... oh go on then' in the future :eyebrows: